Soaking pit cover



Feb 6, 1940@ G. M. CROFT SOAKING PIT COVER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec; 2, 1938 INVENTOR George M. Croft Feb. 6, 1940. CROFT 2,189,280

SOAKING PIT COVER Filed Dec. 2, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2,

Fa i n fzg Z Gemsge ll. Croft Feb. 6, 1940. G. M. CROFT SOAKING PIT CQVER Filed Dec. 2, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 'INVENTOR G surge M Craft MXM Feb. 6, G M CRQFT SOAKING PIT COVER Filed Dec. 2, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 x 3 .8 .him "20.4w? r INVENTOR 6601196114. Craft Patented Feb. 6, 1940 SOAKING PIT oovEa George M. Croft, Vandergrift, Pa., assignor to Blaw-Knox Company, Blawnox, ,Pas a corporation of New Jersey Application December 2. 1938, Serial No. 243,539

9 Claims. 1 (01. -473) This invention relates to soaking pit covers or the like and, in particular, to a soaking pit cover of such construction as to, be movable laterally from the pit without being lifted.

Numerous expedients have been resorted to heretofore for transporting soaking pit covers from a position over the pit to a position laterally thereof to permit the charging of ingots into the pit and their removal therefrom. Numerous forms 'of apparatus have been proposed, for I example, for lifting a cover from the pit and then transporting 'ithorizontalljn Despite obvious objections to covers so constructed, they have continued in use for the lack of a better construction. The objections to the soaking pit coversknown heretofore include the fact that a frame must be provided for-supporting the brick lining of the cover and the framemust be stron enough to permit vertical movement of the cover relative to the usual supporting car. A further objection is thatit has usually been'necessary to provide a motorpowerful enough to lift the cover as well as means for driving the car on which the cover is usually suspended. As the weight of the cover is considerable, the power required to lift it is substantial. V

I have invented a soaking pit cover which avoids the aforementioned objections and is characterized byother novel features and advantages. In a preferred form of the invention, a soaking pit cover is suspended on wheels adapted to travel from a position over a pit to a position laterally thereof. The cover is normally carried at an elevationslightly above that of the working floor surrounding the pit. A sealing channel extends around the pit and the cover is provided with sealing means" adapted to cor operate therewith to close the joint between the cover and the wall of the pit. The sealing means may comprise fixed platesmounted on the ends of the cover and movable plates mountedon the sides of the cover adapted to be lowered into and raised out of the sealing channel. In this form of the invention extensions are provided for the sealing channel in which the fixed sealing plates travel on movement of the cover. In another form of the invention, the sealing plates at the sides and ends of the cover are movable as a' unit into and out of the sealing channel.

The sealing channel is filled with sand to the desired depth, and the sealing plates are so mounted that they extendfdown'into the sand when in sealing position. Sand ordinarily used for sealing contains impurities which cause it, when heated,tobake;hard. and form crusts,

lessening its sealing ability. To avoid this, I provide special means for cooling the sealing channel, specifically a water jacket having connectionswhereby cooling water or other fluid may be circulated therethrough. I

A complete understanding of the invention may be had from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings referred to therein, illustrating the embodiments above rneritioned. In the drawings: 9

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form tion; I p s y s i Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view taken along the line II-II of 1 showing parts inelevation; 7

Fig. 2--c is a partial sectional view taken along the line IIaP-IIa of Fig. l; I r

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken. along the line III-J11 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is aplan invention;

view of a modifie'd fornrof the Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line V-V of Fig. 4 showingpartsjin elevation;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line VI- -VI of Fig. 4; and

. s "10 of the inven- Fig. 7 is a sectionalview through the inner wall of the sealing channel only, taken sub stantially on the plane of line VII-VIIof Fig. 6.

Referring now in detail to the drawings and, for the present, to Figs. 1 through. 3, a soaking pit cover embodying my invention is'indicated generally at l0 and comprises, a frame ll of structural members provided with a refractory lining l2. The frame ll comprises lower longitudinal and transverse structural members [3 and 14 respectively, andjupper longitudinal and transverse channels l5 and I6 respectively, secured to the members l3 and I4.

Bearing posts I! aremounted on the channels l6 adjacent the corners of the frame Hand are provided with bearing chucks l8 adjustable vertically therein. Screws l9 threaded through the posts I! are providedforadjusting theframe ll relative to the bearing chucks. s v

a Cross shafts 20 and 2| are journaled in bearings mounted in the chucks I8 and are provided with wheels 22 adapted to travel on rails 23. The rails 23 rest on footings 23. It will be noted in Fig. 3 that the screws l9 are normally so adjusted' that the bottom of the cover clears the floor 24 adjacent the cover. I 1

A sealing channel 25 extends around the open top or mouth of the pit indicated at 26, adjacent a heavy metallic rim 26 surrounding the pit mouth. Thesealing channel is in the. form of a 35 carried on the frame II. to the shafts-34 are. connected bylinks 3! to eccentrics 38 on the slow speed shaftof a speedreducer. 39. A motor All is-coupled to the speeddouble-walled trough, L-shaped or U-shaped in section, constructed of metal plate, whereby cooling water may be circulated therethrough as indicated at 21. The trough proper of the sealing channel is filled with granular sealing material such as sand 28. Extensions. 29 of the sealing channel form continuations of the portions thereof parallel to the ends of the pit opening. The structuralmembers I l have sealing flanges 30 depending therefrom into the portions of the channel 25 paralleling the ends of the pit. On

movement of the cover ID by means to be 'described shortly, the flanges 30 move longitudinally into the extensions 29.

Sealing plates 3| are -1novably suspended on opposite sides of the cover l0" and are adapted to be lowered into the channel 25 or raised therefrom. The sealing platesz3lzare :suspended'on chains 32 secured to drums 33 mounted on cross shafts 34. The shafts are journaled in bearings Cranks 36.-secured reducer 39. When the motor 40 is energizedto drive the reducer 39 and operate the eccentrics 38,.,the links 31 and cranks 36, cause the shafts 34 to rotate whereupon the sealing plates 3 Lare raised from or lowered into the channel 25. Suit- 'frame members I4, being fixed relative to the latter, arepermanently in sealing. relation with the channel, .25.andaitsextensions .29. .It will also be, apparent. that. the cover :I 0. is .free to move laterally along the tracks 23.as soonas theplates 3| have been raised out of the channel 25. .Conversely, the space between the bottom: of the cover' and the edgesof the pit openingais fully closed on lowering the plates 3L after restoring the. cover to its illustratedposition. The circulation of cooling. water throughthe sealing channel prevents overheating of. the sealing material and also protectsthe brickworkadjacent-the top .of the pitwall. It will be apparent that the. outer wall of the channel25 is interrupted. as at 44 to permit movementzof the flanges 39 into the extensions 29.

Referring now -.more particularly to Figs. 4 through, 6 illustrating a, modification of. the .-.invention, the cover 59 comprises a structural frame 5|. having a. refractory lining 52. .The cover is arranged .for traveling movement in the same manner-as the coverof Fig. 1, viz., by hearing posts 53;.secured to the frame, shafts 5 ,:l0urnaled in -bearings 55 slidable in the posts, and-Wheels. 56 on the shafts rolling on. rails. 51. Asealing channel 58. extends. around the cover, being mounted on the frame thereof. A sealing channel 59 extends around the mouth of the pit and'gis similar in construction. to the channel 25 of Fig. 1. The sealing. channels are, preferably constructed. inseparate sections, one adjacent eachxend orsideiof: theipit, one suchsection being'shown in-Fig.-. 7 with iinletand. outlet connections 5 9 and. 59 The.:top. of. the innerv wall of each section is made slightly sloping to avoid air or steam pockets. By this construction the water jacket may be maintained full of water for efiective cooling. The circulation of cooling water is so established as to avoid traps, thus insuring continuous flow of water through all portions of the jacket.

A pair of sealing flanges 69 and 61 extend along the sides and ends of the cover, being secured together forming a unitary structure. This assembly of sealing flanges or plates is suspended by chains 62 from cranks 63 secured Cranks 56 also secured to the shafts 65 are connected by links 61 to cranks 68 on the low speed shaft of a speed-reducer 69 driven by a motor 10. The speed-reducer and motor are mounted on a base plate ll carried on;theframe=5l. It'will be apparent that operation of the motor ill to move the crank 68 through 180--will cause partial rotation of the shaft 65. and elevation of .the sealing flanges or plates 60 and BI. When the sealing flanges have thus been raised, the cover is ready for transport on the wheels 56. The latter may be driven by a motor 12 through a speed-reducer l3 and chain and sprocket drive 14, in the same manner as thecover of Fig. 1.

The advantages of my invention will be clear from the foregoing description of the construction and. operation involved therein. The cover may be initially adjustedby means of the supportingscrews to have the desired clearance relative to the mouth of the pit so that it may .be moved laterally thereof without lifting. It is unnecessary, therefore, to provide a car separate. from the cover for transporting the latter. I also avoid the necessity-for lifting mechanism powerful enoughto raise the weight of the entire coversince the only portion thereof which need be raised prior to transport is the sealing plates.

It willbe obvious. that the motor and hoisting mechanism for raising the sealing plates may be .muchsmallerand less expensive than wouldbe pitmouth. This keeps the sand from crusting and baking hard, and preserves its sealing ability. The-water 'jacket protects not only the sandin the channel. it surrounds but also the sand in thechannel 58 mounted onthe cover-as in the modification shown in Figs. 4-7. The cooling of the sarid also-prevents overheating of the sealing plates which might cause warping thereof. The

water jacket also protectsthetopof the pit wall to some extent, as well as the rim 26 surrounding the pit opening.

.Although I have illustrated and described but two embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent thatchanges in the construction and operation: disclosed maybe made without departing from the spirit ofthe invention'or the scope of the appended claims.

Lclaim:

1.1 .The combination with acover for. a soaking pittmountedfor movementfrom aposition over The cover of N 2,189,280 the pit to a position laterally thereof, of a sealing channel adjacent the pit, and sealing means movably mounted on said cover adapted to cooperate with said channel.

2. The combination with a cover for a soaking pit mounted for movement from a position over the pit to a position laterally thereof, of a sealing channel adjacent the pit,'sealing meansmovably mounted on said cover adapted to cooperate with said channel, and means on said cover for raising and lowering said sealing means.

3. The combination with a cover for a soaking pit mounted for movement from a position over" the pit to a position laterally thereof, of a sealing channel adjacent the pit, sealing means fixed on said cover and depending into said channel, and other sealing means movably mounted on said cover and adapted to be lowered into and withdrawn from said channel.

l. The combination with a substantially rec tangular cover for a soaking pit mounted 'on wheels for movement along a predetermined line, parallel to one end of the cover, in a single plane, of a sealing channel extending along thesides of the pit, and sealing means on said cover movable into and from said channel.

' intoand out of said channel.

tangular cover for a soaking pit mounted on wheels for movement along a predetermined line, parallelto one end of the cover, in a single plane, of a sealing channel extending along the sides of the pit, and a sealing plate on each side of the cover adapted to enter said channel, said plates being'movable into and out of said channel. e I

7. The combination with a cover for a soaking pit mounted for movement from a position Over the pit to a position laterally thereof, of a sealing channel adjacent the pit, sealing means fixedon said cover and depending into said channel, other,

sealing means movably mounted on said cover and adapted to be lowered into said channel, and extensions from said channel. in which said fixed means move with said cover.

8. The combination with a coverfor a soaking pit provided with a top opening, said cover be ing mounted for movement from a position over the pit to a position laterally thereof, of a sealing channel extending around the opening of said T pit and sealing means movably mounted on said cover for entry into and withdrawal from said channel.

9. The combination witha cover for a soaking p'it provided with a top opening, of wheelsnormally fixed relative thereto, whereby said cover may travel from a position over a pit to a position laterally thereof, tracks whereon said wheels travel, the projections of said tracks on a vertical plane therealong being straight lines, a sealing channel around the pit opening, and plates supported on said cover for movement GEORGE M. CRO 

